


Dance with Me

by Seraph_Novak



Series: Tyrus One-Shots [18]
Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Bullying, Confessions, Cute, Dancing, Dorks in Love, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Kiss, Happy Ending, M/M, Oblivious, One Shot, Protective TJ, Tyrus - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-18 00:26:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16106900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seraph_Novak/pseuds/Seraph_Novak
Summary: When Cyrus' dance teacher tells everyone to bring a partner to their next class, Cyrus asks TJ to pretend to be his boyfriend.





	Dance with Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! More Tyrus here... I've been sick for the past couple days, so this might be terrible. I hope you enjoy it anyway!
> 
> As always, all comments and kudos are very much appreciated ♥
> 
> [My Tumblr](https://seraph-novak.tumblr.com)

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Cyrus asked, twisting his hands together as he and TJ approached the dance room. “I know it’s a lot to ask...”

“It’s fine,” TJ reassured him. There was a gentle smile on his face, and it made Cyrus’ stomach flutter pathetically. He slung an arm around Cyrus’ shoulders and added, “It might be fun, actually.”

Cyrus snorted. “I didn’t know you liked to dance.”

“I don’t. But it’s fun to step out of your comfort zone now and again, right?”

“I guess...” Cyrus wasn’t one for reaching beyond his limit, but TJ’s easy confidence made him feel a little better. If TJ, the most popular boy in school, was willing to go to a dance class for him, the least Cyrus could do was try and enjoy it. Even if it meant facing Izzy again.

When they stepped into the dance room, most of Cyrus’ classmates were already paired up with their partners. The week before, their teacher had instructed them to bring someone else along to take part in today’s class, and naturally everyone had opted to bring their boyfriends and girlfriends with them. Cyrus couldn’t bear the thought of being the only person without a romantic partner, so he’d asked TJ to pretend to be his boyfriend. It was only so he could get Izzy off his back, so he didn’t have to suffer her patronising comments for the rest of the year.

“Last chance to back out,” Cyrus whispered to TJ, hyper aware of the arm still draped over his shoulders, hugging warmth into his body.

TJ gave him a comforting squeeze. “I’m not going anywhere, Underdog.”

Before Cyrus could thank him for the billionth time, Izzy marched over to them, her poor boyfriend trailing behind like a dog on a lead. Her white-blonde hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, and her perfectly shaped lips were glossy and pink. She looked like a Disney Princess come to life, and it made Cyrus feel small and ugly in comparison.

As if sensing his discomfort, TJ pulled him closer.

“I see you actually found someone to bring,” Izzy said, flashing Cyrus a fake smile. “It’s a shame he’s only a friend though. Everyone else has brought their partners.” She shook her head slowly, feigning sympathy. “But I’m so proud of you, Cyrus. It must take a lot of bravery to show up today, knowing you’re the only one without a significant other.”

TJ rolled his eyes at her smarmy tone of voice, grabbing Cyrus’ hand and lifting it up for her to see. “Actually,” he said, a smug grin devouring his face, “we’re dating. I’m his boyfriend.”

Izzy gawped at him. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“But you’re TJ Kippen,” she said, desperately turning to her boyfriend for backup. “You’re the captain of the basketball team. You can’t be gay!” She wrinkled her nose. “And even if you were, why would you be dating Cyrus Goodman, of all people?”

Cyrus could feel TJ turning stiff with anger beside him, and he tugged at his hand in an effort to steer him away from the conversation.

“Just drop it, TJ. It doesn’t matter.”

“No.” TJ gritted his teeth and took a step closer to Izzy, his eyes seething with rage. “If you’ve got something to say about my boyfriend, then say it to my face. Come on. I wanna know. What makes you think you’re so much better than him?”

Izzy opened and closed her mouth, like a fish out of water. “I... I never said I was better than him.”

“But you implied it. And don’t think I don’t know about all the crap you’ve been giving him since he joined this class.” TJ looked her up and down, not even trying to hide his disgust. “You think because you’re pretty on the outside, that makes you a good person? Well, Cyrus is fucking _beautiful_. Inside and out.” He scoffed. “And if you think you’re better than that, then I’ve got news for you, sweetheart. You’re delusional.”

Cyrus held his breath, flicking his eyes between TJ and Izzy as he waited for someone to add to the argument. The rest of the class was watching them in silence, and Izzy’s boyfriend was staring at the ground, the ghost of smirk on his lips. TJ had completely destroyed Izzy in a matter of seconds, in front of all the people she strived the most to impress.

“You can’t talk to me like that,” she said after a while, once she’d realised no one was coming to her defence.

TJ lifted an eyebrow. “I think you being an ass to my boyfriend gives me every right to talk to you like that.”

“But, but –”

The double doors on the opposite side of the room suddenly burst open, and a middle-aged woman with a messy bun bouncing on top of her head came barrelling through. She was carrying one of those retro CD players with a handle, and all of the students in the room fell completely silent upon her arrival.

“That’s the teacher,” Cyrus explained to TJ. “Miss Stevens.”

Izzy shot them both a glare, then dragged her boyfriend back to their places. Cyrus decided to hang back, so TJ wouldn’t feel so exposed. Plus, the further away from Izzy they were, the better.

Miss Stevens placed the CD player in the corner of the room, then turned back to her students with a critical eye, clearly getting a feel for the newbies in the class. Her eyes lingered on TJ for a moment longer than anyone else, almost as if she was surprised to see a popular jock amongst the crowd. Once she was satisfied, she clapped her hands together.

“I see everyone’s partnered up already,” she said.

There was a murmured reply of yeses.

“Good.” Miss Stevens gave them a shark-like grin, her eyes gleaming at the prospect of having twice the amount of students to torture. “I appreciate you all taking the time out of your other classes to join us today.”

Cyrus glanced at TJ. He knew his friend was missing basketball for this, and that was a pretty big deal. Perhaps it was selfish of him to ask TJ to do this... But then the other boy caught his eye and gave him a dazzling smile, and all his insecurities faded away. TJ was here by choice, not because Cyrus had forced him. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of hope in his chest. What if TJ liked him as more than a friend? Was that really so impossible? He kept replaying the conversation with Izzy in his mind, his heart clenching at the memory of TJ calling him beautiful in front of the entire class. But that was just TJ playing the part he’d asked him to play. Nothing more. Right?

For the next hour, Cyrus and TJ followed Miss Stevens’ instructions to a T, holding each other like a couple in love as they moved their feet to the music. Cyrus was lost in TJ’s eyes for the most part. He was dancing in a daze, his body responding to TJ’s movements with ease. It was like he was watching himself from above, completely untethered from his usual self-consciousness. TJ made him feel comfortable and happy, and he loved the thrill of his hands touching him, guiding him. In TJ’s arms, he felt at home.

“Okay, class!” Miss Stevens shouted above the music, winding her way through the dancing bodies to the back of the room again. “That’s enough for today.”

Cyrus was reluctant to let go of TJ, but if he held on for too long, it would look suspicious. He couldn’t let TJ know his feelings for him had shifted from platonic to something more over the past few months. He wasn’t ready to have that conversation yet, not when the most likely scenario ended in heartbreak.

“That was wonderful,” Miss Stevens applauded. “Especially you two boys in the back.”

It took Cyrus a moment to realise she was talking about him and TJ.

“There was so much passion between you,” Miss Stevens continued. “So much chemistry. I could practically feel the love radiating off you both.”

Cyrus flushed. He could only imagine how embarrassing this must be for TJ, to have everyone in the room believe he was in love with Cyrus. But when he dared to look at the other boy, TJ was smiling at him softly, his cheeks glowing as he took Cyrus’ hand and kissed it front of everyone, eliciting a chorus of ‘aw’s from the girls in the room. Izzy, on the other hand, looked furious.

Once everyone had left to freshen up, Cyrus took the opportunity to talk to TJ in private. His heart was aching with the knowledge that his time as TJ Kippen’s boyfriend was over, but that didn’t deter him from saying the words that had to be said, despite the risk of accidentally saying too much and revealing his crush.   

“Thank you,” he said, starting off simply. TJ was still holding his hand, and Cyrus forced himself to let go. “You didn’t have to do this. And what you said to Izzy... I really appreciate you sticking up for me like that.”

TJ surprised him by reaching for his hand again. “That’s what boyfriends are for.”

Cyrus huffed a laugh. “You don’t have to keep pretending anymore, TJ. Everyone’s gone. It’s just us.”

“I’m not pretending.”

“What?”

TJ licked his lips and took a step closer, cradling Cyrus’ hand against his chest. “I don’t wanna be your fake boyfriend, Underdog. I want this to be real. You and me. _Together_. What d’you think?”

Cyrus stared back at him, completely dumbstruck. This conversation had taken a very unexpected turn. He’d been prepared for TJ to figure everything out, to see through Cyrus’ poorly disguised feelings and let him down gently. But now TJ was suggesting... what? That they start dating for real? It didn’t make any sense. Was this TJ’s way of telling Cyrus he had feelings for him? _Real_ feelings? It seemed like the only logical explanation, and yet –

“You’re not gay,” Cyrus said dumbly, his cheeks burning the moment the words left his mouth. It wasn’t exactly fair to assume TJ’s sexuality, but the idea of the boy of his dreams actually being gay seemed too good to be true.

TJ chuckled. “Um, yeah I am.”

“Since when?”

“Birth?”

Cyrus slapped a hand over his face. “I’m so sorry. That was a stupid thing to ask, I just... I don’t know how to respond to this.”

“If you don’t feel the same way, that’s fine,” TJ said, but the crack in his voice betrayed his true feelings. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, and it broke Cyrus’ heart. “I promise I won’t get upset.”

Cyrus squeezed his hand tightly, afraid that TJ might let go. “I do feel the same way!” he insisted with a little too much enthusiasm. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. “I _do_ feel the same way. I’ve had the biggest crush on you for months! I just never thought you’d like me like that.”

TJ frowned. “But you’re amazing. Why _wouldn’t_ I like you?”

“Because we’re complete opposites.” Cyrus shrugged. “Izzy was right. It doesn’t make any sense that the most popular boy in school would wanna date someone like me.”

TJ pressed a hand against his cheek. His palm was warm and slightly sweaty, and Cyrus couldn’t resist leaning into it, allowing TJ to stroke a thumb across his jawline. He watched TJ swallow thickly, his throat rising and falling in slow motion. He looked almost as nervous as Cyrus felt.

“I don’t care how different we are,” TJ whispered. “You’re the only guy I wanna be with.”

Cyrus glanced down at his lips, his heart close to bursting with giddiness. “You’re the only guy I wanna be with too,” he admitted softly. A gigantic smile broke across his face. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

TJ grinned. “Me neither. When you asked me to be your fake boyfriend, I hoped... I mean, I’ve watched rom-coms before. I know how this usually goes. But still...” He laughed, ducking his head to kiss Cyrus’ fingers again. “I’ve wanted this for so long, it feels like I’m dreaming or something. Is that pathetic?”

“No!” Cyrus winced and lowered his voice. “I feel exactly the same way. So, if anything, we’re _both_ pathetic.”

TJ smiled. “I’m okay with that.”

The fondness in his eyes was too much to bear. Cyrus felt himself melt at the sight of TJ’s gorgeous, grinning face, his own smile growing twice in size as TJ wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him forward, their noses bumping together in the process.

“You know,” he said, spreading his hand across TJ’s chest, “we have this entire room to ourselves... It would be a shame to waste it.”

TJ quirked an eyebrow. “What’re you suggesting?”

“I’m not suggesting anything,” Cyrus said. “I’m asking you to dance with me. And maybe go on a date with me too?”

TJ tugged him closer, and Cyrus sucked in a gasp. Their lips were practically touching, the warmth of their combined breath tingling against his skin. If he tilted his face and leaned forward, he’d be kissing TJ Kippen. It was scary and exhilarating all at the same time, and it was enough to make Cyrus stumble back a few steps, overwhelmed by the unspoken possibilities hanging in the air between them. TJ touched the small of his back and steadied him, his eyes glittering with silent laughter.

“I know I’m dreamy, but there’s no need to go fainting on me.”

Cyrus gave him a playful shove. “Do you wanna dance with me or not?”

“I thought we already were.”

Cyrus yelped as TJ span him around, extending his arm and unravelling Cyrus like a ball of string. He pulled him back with a gentle tug and started swaying from side to side, his other hand falling to Cyrus’ hips.

“Too much?”

“No!” Cyrus grabbed onto TJ’s shoulder and smiled. “This is good. I just don’t wanna step on you.”

“You won’t,” TJ reassured him. “You’re a natural.”

Cyrus beamed. “So, about that date?”

“Well, I’m actually kind of busy right now… I’m dancing with a really great guy. But after that, I’m free.”

“You’re such a dork.”

“You love it.”

Cyrus looped an arm around TJ’s waist and dipped him backwards, smirking as TJ's eyes opened wide with shock. He bent forward and pressed a featherlight kiss to his lips, his heart lurching at the feeling of TJ’s mouth against his own.

“You’re right,” he said, still hovering over TJ with a breathless smile. “I _do_ love it.”


End file.
